[Bilateral unipedicle flaps combined with levator sling plasty for the repair of complete cleft palate at the age of 6 - 12 months].
OBJECTIVE
To repair the complete cleft palate with the most popular technique at optimal time.


METHODS
Bilateral unipedicle flaps (Bardach method) combined with levator sling plasty were employed to repair complete cleft palate at the age of 6 - 12 months. Computer-aided FFT vocal analysis was performed before and after surgery.


RESULTS
All patients had primary wound healing without any complication. The FFT vocal analysis showed great improvement in velopharyngeal incompetence after surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
It is technically safe and feasible to repair the complete cleft palate at the age of 6 - 12 months with bilateral unipedicle flaps. Encouraging speech improvement can be expected with this method.
Huang
Wei
W
Department of Plastic Surgery, Tianjin Children's Hospital, Tianjin 300074, China. huangmd@hotmail.com
Feng
Lan-Yun
LY
Xu
Hai-Hua
HH
You
Jing
J
D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000637:transplantation*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D016896:Treatment Outcome